RAMONE, JOEY Don't Worry About Me (Sanctuary) cd 17.98
We're all very sad that Joey Ramone died. But we're also sort of sad that this is the record that was left for us to remember him by. This whole package pulls shamelessly on the ol' heartstrings, the title "Don't Worry About Me", and the timing -- released while our wounds are still fresh -- and then to add insult to injury the record just kind of sucks. It's so clean sounding, you just can't compare it to the Ramones cuz it's on a whole different planet. It's poppy and goofy, but without the charm that made the Ramones special. A lot of people seem to like it, the reviews so far have all been positive, but I think maybe people are a bit hesitant to slam the record all things considered. Do yourself a favor and throw on your old beat up copy of 'Rocket To Russia' and toast to Joey and make up your own appropriate tribute.
RealAudio clip: "Don't Worry About Me"
RealAudio clip: "Mr. Punchy"
RealAudio clip: "What A Wonderful World "

RAMONES End Of The Century, The Story Of The Ramones (Rhino) dvd 23.00
Tommy, Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Marky. They lived to see themselves reach iconic status. Yet, through intense inter-personal strife impacted by the eclipsing success of the musical acts that followed in their footsteps, these guys seem to have barely enjoyed anything at all. This incredibly well-made rockumentary tells the story of four kids from Forest Hills, Queens who bonded over a mutual admiration of The Stooges and found a way out of their shitty home and school-life by playing music together. It follows their early career in the 70's as The Ramones, playing gnarly Bowery-bum ridden CBGB's alongside other new acts like Television, Talking Heads and Blondie to touring through Europe and Latin America with huge sold-out gigs. Success seemed to shine on them overseas solely, while in small shitty clubs across the US, they were boo'd, jeered, laughed at or the subject of thrown bottles and cans. Simultaneously, their record sales refused to escalate as they had hoped.
The Ramones were a musical force, however. Their songs were brutal, consice and earnest. Their sound was fast, fierce and fucking impenetrable - in the vein of garagey Americana pop punk. But God dammit, you already knew that! Well, you've probably forgotten how fucking GOOD they were. You'll see some pretty amazing live footage inside this over-two-hour film. Early live shows and incredibly endearing interviews with bandmembers (save Johnny) will regenerate anyone's adoration for these boys. Their story also emphasizes the emotions involved in being a Ramone. This is a tragic but important part of who they were. For instance, of the band's original personnel, Tommy (the only one to quit pretty early on), is the only one still alive.
Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy created an inspirational legacy and this documentation does its absolute best to communicate to us their lives' work. It will award you with an awesome fight on stage, a re-telling of their experience with producer Phil Spector, priceless moments of Dee Dee's "other musical exploration", and... aw, c'mon, did you really think I'd tell you any more? I will tell you this and none more: extra features include bonus interview footage and among other things, the Marky Ramone Drum Technique! All you drummers out there will appreciate that little nugget.
By far, End Of The Century, The Story of The Ramones is not only an important addition to any rock collection, it's absolutely informative and inspirational to any musician and/or music-lover. But hey ho this baby's Region 1.

RAMONES s/t (Warner Archives) cd 12.98
Awesome! Reissued in 2001, this cd features eight bonus tracks which include a bunch of demo versions for songs such as "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Judy Is A Punk", "I Don't Care" and "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"!

RAMONES Weird Tales Of The Ramones (Warner Bros. / Rhino) book+dvd+cd 73.00

RANALDO, LEE Amarillo Ramp (Starlight) cd 12.98
Sonic Youth guitarist's solo tribute to earthworks artist Robert Smithson. Here's what El Bobo at Revolver Distro has to say about it: "Sonic Youth's left-minded, and soft-spoken lead guitarist continues to wield a big stick with a new solo outing of the highest sonic magnitude. First off is the title track, a 34-minute live recording from 1994 with after-the-fact wave-shaping and spectral improvement by Rafael Toral, followed by an instrumental 'Anagrama' type frolic with bandmates Steve Shelley and Thurston Moore. Also included are a couple of soundtrack excerpts, one from Notebook, and the other from one of Leah Singer's mind-smudging flicks (originally on '91's Guitarrorists comp.), and a John Lennon cover featuring the late Epic Soundtracks. As always it's a brilliant ride."

RANALDO, LEE Countless Centuries Fled Into The Distance... (Table Of The Elements) lp 17.98
Another in Table Of The Elements' new series of one sided etched 12"s. A series focusing on the electric guitar. Last time we had Oren Ambarchi, this time we have Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, who starts out his 12" sounding quite a bit like Sonic Youth in fact. Noisy crashing chords, chaotic and off kilter, over a super high pitched sonar like beep, weirdly hypnotic until it explodes into a full on psychedelic skreekout.
The second track begins with an amazing tripped out, warbly warped guitar groove, which gives way to a weird high end drone doused in fucked up effects, so woozy it almost makes you dizzy just listening, and reminds us a bit of a fucked up set of bagpipes.
The final track begins with an echo-y almost-industrial space-y surfy riff, that shifts suddenly in pitch, creating mysterious melodies, super haunting and hypnotic, but this track too soon gives way to a massive amp blowing, speaker melting chunk of freaked out Japanese style noise-psych. Whew.
Pressed on opaque swirled turquoise vinyl. One sided, the other side with a super bad ass etching by Savage Pencil, housed in a thick vinyl sleeve, and of course, as always LIMITED!

RANALDO, LEE Windows (Barooni) cd 18.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hypnogogic and stratospheric guitar noise/drones from Sonic Youth's guitarist who generates some pretty outstanding sounds similar to the ending tracks on "Daydream Nation" and recites his dystopic pseudo-Beat poetry over top. Lee employs such luminaries as Thurston Moore, Michael Morley (Dead C, Gate), and Epic Soundtracks.

RANDOM s/t (Kyouei Ltd.) cd 22.00
Managed to get a handful more of these weird and wonderful records...
It had to happen. It probably already has happened actually, but we love the weird, and the random, and we figured you probably would too. This is a Japanese import, not sure exactly who the artist is, but it's 99 tracks, each a rich lustrous tone, some deep and bell like, some soft and sonorous, some high pitched like a sine wave. All you have to do is set your cd player on random and away we go. A soft, subtle ambient journey, that ends up sounding a bit like Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel, only a bit though. It also sort of sounds like Tibetan bowls, or chiming bells, or soft ambient Japanese music (which I guess it is). Soft and lovely, and most importantly RANDOM. 99 seperate tones means the number of possible songs is an astronomical 9.33262154 x 10 to the 155th! And that's if you only let each tone play once... So even though the disc is actually only about 8 minutes long, set to shuffle it turns into 8 million billion trillion minutes! Or more!
Anyway, this seems to work best if you import the disc to iTunes, set to shuffle and with a decent crossfade, then just sit back and drift off, let the gorgeously soft and shimmery, sweet and serene ambience wash over you.
MPEG Stream: "One"

RANDOM INC Walking In Jerusalem (Mille Plateaux) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is ostensibly a walk through Jeruselem as recorded by Random Inc. (who was a member of Autopoeises) and then processed/altered/fucked with by himself and a handful of guests including Tim Hecker, Electric Birds, the Rip-Off Artist, Ultra-Red and more. The results are pretty fantastic. I've listened to almost nothing else for the last few nights. This falls somewhere between AQ faves Stefan Mathieu and Oval, sort of gritty, buzzy, and hypnotic dreamscapes, but much darker and more cinematic, partly because of the recorded snippets of life/people/music in Jerusalem, but also because of the musical choices made by the contributors. This is a really dreary, somber, hypnotic, droning affair, with lots of buzz and click and hum and skitter. And the artists gentle touch with the original sound sources results in some totally breathtaking moments. I haven't dug a record this much since Oval's Diskont. Great stuff.
RealAudio clip: "Random_Inc. Entering Jerusalem (Coming From the West)"
RealAudio clip: "Random_Inc. Meets Tim Hecker In Musrara"
RealAudio clip: "Random_Inc. Entering Jerusalem (Coming From the East)"
RealAudio clip: "Random_Inc. Meets Electric Birds In Mamillah"

RANDOM INC. Jerusalem (Ritornell) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Stephan Meissner is a mainstay of the Mille Plateaux clicks 'n cuts crew via his work in Autopoesies and his solo projects Random Industries and Random Inc. "Jerusalem" is his latest work, the resulti of four years of gathering and editting sound material, specifically related to the complex and often volatile relationship between Jews and Palestinians in Jerusalem. Meissner's meditation on this city's cultural make-up plays upon the geographic rhizomes of neighborhoods and holy sites, which clearly do not follow easily definable boundaries. The city's geography itself acknowleges an extraordinary history of the continuous influx and dispersion of numerous persecuted peoples. While Meissner's micro-sampling technique has the potential to recombine all of the musical elements of both Arabs and Jews into a homogeneous synthesis, he instead opts for a neo-historical approach, co-opting the 20th Century's narrative of that land which saw the power shift from Arabic to Israeli. The first half of the album steps into the empty space left behind by Muslimgauze in a digital appropriation of Arabic percussions, choral chant, and guitars within an electro-glitch setting, but slowly the timbres morph from the warmth of the Arabic to the melancholy of Klezmer with doleful passages for violin, accordion, and clarinet. Meissner keeps a dutiful distance in his recombinant history using only the glitch as his signature, which may rearrange the syntax of the appropriated musics but does not alter the historical narrative to which the musical elements refer.
RealAudio clip: "Untitled Track 20"
RealAudio clip: "Untitled Track 6"

RANDOM INDUSTRIES Selected Random Works (Ritornell) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Random Industries is the work of Sebastian Meissner (ex-Autopoieses). For "Selected Random Works," Meissner has constructed 99 very short digitally sharp pieces - mostly of crystalline glitches and stochastic / erratic rhythms, but others have incidental melodies that inconsequentially pass through soap operas. As you can probably guess, the idea is to set your cd player to random and let the machine construct new patterns each time you hear it. There are some post-digital / post-structuralist ideas mentioned in the liner notes about creating non-linear space and the subversion of interactivity through indeterminancy... all fine ideas, but ones that can not possibly be found on this disc. First of all, the random function of the cd player will simply collate the 99 pieces into different patterns... not reconstruct the fluidity of time. A cd player is not a time machine, no matter how many drugs you take. Second, all of the 99 pieces have a very similar timbre (quite charming and glistening), making it impossible to not listen to it as mere fragments of a larger whole. Pay no attention to the theoretical silliness, as this is a fine collection of powerbook glitch fuckery.

RANDOMNUMBER I Understand Your Date and Time of Nowhere (Rocket Racer) cd 11.98
What do sandpaper and spraypaint bring to mind? Abrasiveness? Graffiti? Woodwork? Well, this is definitely not the case with Randomnumber. Those particular materials are what adorns this cd. Squares of sandpaper of varied grit are the insert and traycard. Gold dots and brown quadrangles are painted directly on the jewel case. Very pretty actually. As for the sounds contained within, it's Matt Roberts, drummer of Hood, doing the electronica thing. Sounding not unlike... Hood! Chimingly pleasant, if a bit forlorn, guitar plucking meanders around electronic tones. Skittery-scattery beats. There's an abundance of this sort of music around as of late, but if you haven't had your fill yet, this is actually quite nice. Also sounds a lot like the artists on the 555 or Fuzzybox labels.
RealAudio clip: "Connection Is Lost"

RANGLIN, ERNIE A Mod A Mod Ranglin (K&K Records) cd 11.98
If you love Jackie Mittoo, you'll most certainly love Ernest Ranglin as well. Ernie is the guitar equivalent to Mittoo's laid back keyboard stylings. Impeccably-produced instrumental guitar work, somewhere between Martin Denny style lounge and rock steady. Excellent!

RANKO, SLAVA Arctic Hysteria (Adolescent) lp 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
"I do not want to play music which sounds as if it comes from familiar instruments, music which is based on chord patterns, or music which fits nicely within any particular stereotyped tradition... What I want is the terrifying, the menacing, the cruel, the chaotic, the darkly exciting, the ecstatic, the irrational -- music that resounds between the cells and in the intergalactic voids..." --Slava Ranko

RANNISTO, ANTTI Aaniesineita (12K) cd 14.98
Ah, Finland! You never cease to amaze us with the wealth of intruding sounds that emerge from your arctic landscape; and you've once again provided us with somebody new to get excited about. While our obsession with Finnish music has been typically centered on the liminal psychedelia of Circle, Kemiallyset Ystavat, Avarus, and all things Fonal, we've also been quite taken by the frigid electronica that Pan Sonic has been making for many years now. Antti Rannisto comes from the same mold as Pan Sonic's Mika Vainio in sculpting a compelling post-techno electric field of phase-shifting throbs and sine-wave tones with impeccable precision. In many ways, Aaniesineita mirrors what Vainio did on his solo records Metri and Tulkinta. There really is not very much to Rannisto's work, often just a hyper-repetitive 4/4 pulse with subtle shifts of panning, EQ envelope manipulation, and phase shifting of tonal elements. According to Rannisto, it's all about rotation. That pretty much says it all.
MPEG Stream: "Aaniesineita 3"
MPEG Stream: "Aaniesineita 6"

RAPEMAN Two Nuns And A Pack Mule (Touch & Go) cd 14.98
Steve Albini, post-Big Black. A classic.

RAPOON :D-Lem: (Gracia-Territori Sonor) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
:D-Lem: is a documentation of the live performance Rapoon (aka Robin Storey) gave during the 1999 LFM Festival in Barcelona, and is the closest that he has come to sounding like :Zoviet France: since Storey left the anonymous collective. This dark looping hypnodrone with post-industrial clatter that could easily fit on :ZF:'s "Mohnomishce" or "Just An Illusion" (titles that highlight the best work from :ZF:, just so you know).

RAPOON :Just Say The Faith: (Soleilmoon) cd 14.98
Even though it's been a decade since Robin Storey left the seminal post-industrial ensemble :Zoviet*France:, he hasn't really extended himself beyond his last few outings with :Z*F: (including "Just An Illusion" and possibly "Shouting At The Ground"). In :Zoviet*France:, he mastered the technique of multitracking tape loops, often of murky recordings from non-specific ethnic percussion, and then splattering them with a profuse amount of dub delay to create very effective hypnotic drones. ":Just Say The Faith:" find his current project Rapoon softening the edges of all of the looping rhythms to give a less foreboding and dreamily celestial ambience to his sounds. Unfortunately, in lightening the mood, Rapoon verges on a soundtrack for commercials about soothing bath salts and exfoliating sugar scrubs, or for the next Peter Gabriel multi-media experience. Originally, this album was released as a vinyl only limited release, but now gets a CD-reissue with a few extra tracks.
RealAudio clip: "Fuck The Wire"

RAPOON Alien Glyph Mythology (Soleilmoon) 2x10" 53.00

RAPOON Fires of The Borderlands (Release) cd 14.98
Robin Storey, founding member of :Zoviet*France: and sole proprietor of Rapoon, finds the source material for his mesmeric drone music in the tones emaneted from tablas, Egyptian reeds, digeridoos, and a plethora of ethnic instruments. From the dots of sound he pulls from the instruments, Storey (like his predecent work in :Z*F:) builds lulling compositions with hypnotic rhythmic patterns and rich textures of drifting sound. "Fires of the Borderlands" is one of his most somnambulant pieces and is quite good.

RAPOON From Shadows Sleep (Essence Music) cd 16.98
While the Essence Music press release doesn't make this proclamation, any self-respecting :zoviet*france: fan will be able to recognize the source material for Rapoon's From Shadow Sleep. Essentially this album is a remix of the source material taken from two of the finest :zoviet*france: recordings of all times -- the diptych centerpiece of "Ascend The Fall" and "Caught In The Square" found on the album Just An Illusion. That 1990 :zoviet*france: album was essentially a solo record by Robin Storey, who later split from :zoviet*france: rather acrimoniously and formed Rapoon, a project whose work has been fairly hit or miss.
True to the old adage: when Rapoon has been good, he's been very very good; but when he's been bad, he's horrid. From Shadows Sleep find Storey in top form, partially because the source material is so exquisite -- back from when he was dealing with convoluted tape loop machines, time-lag accumulators, and the best non-Dub use of delay pedals of all time. These aerated sounds tinged with metallic resonance cobble together swelling masses of hypnotic drift, underscored by a brooding atmosphere. Sonorous pings and aggregates of swirling tape hiss spackle Rapoon's mighty drone which ends up being both unsettling and transcendent at the same time. Given how many are dabbling in the fine art of grizzled dronescaping, the back catalogue of :zoviet*france: should be required listening. But given that nearly all of those recordings of alchemical ritualism are out of print (thanks to that unfortunate acrimony mentioned above), this Rapoon album is the next best thing. Very highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "The Darkness Of Ages"
MPEG Stream: "The Pit Under The Castle"
MPEG Stream: "The Pigmen At The Window"

RAPOON From Shadows Sleep (Essence Music) cd / 3" cd / box 58.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is the super limited, ultra deluxe box set version, that includes tons of extra art and inserts as well as a bonus 3" cd-r)!! Most likely already out of print by the time you read this...
While the Essence Music press release doesn't make this proclamation, any self-respecting :zoviet*france: fan will be able to recognize the source material for Rapoon's From Shadow Sleep. Essentially this album is a remix of the source material taken from two of the finest :zoviet*france: recordings of all times -- the diptych centerpiece of "Ascend The Fall" and "Caught In The Square" found on the album Just An Illusion. That 1990 :zoviet*france: album was essentially a solo record by Robin Storey, who later split from :zoviet*france: rather acrimoniously and formed Rapoon, a project whose work has been fairly hit or miss.
True to the old adage: when Rapoon has been good, he's been very very good; but when he's been bad, he's horrid. From Shadows Sleep find Storey in top form, partially because the source material is so exquisite -- back from when he was dealing with convoluted tape loop machines, time-lag accumulators, and the best non-Dub use of delay pedals of all time. These aerated sounds tinged with metallic resonance cobble together swelling masses of hypnotic drift, underscored by a brooding atmosphere. Sonorous pings and aggregates of swirling tape hiss spackle Rapoon's mighty drone which ends up being both unsettling and transcendent at the same time. Given how many are dabbling in the fine art of grizzled dronescaping, the back catalogue of :zoviet*france: should be required listening. But given that nearly all of those recordings of alchemical ritualism are out of print (thanks to that unfortunate acrimony mentioned above), this Rapoon album is the next best thing. Very highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "The Darkness Of Ages"
MPEG Stream: "The Pit Under The Castle"
MPEG Stream: "The Pigmen At The Window"

RAPOON Navigating By Colour (Soleilmoon) cd 19.98
The oversized beautiful first edition of Rapoon's "Navigating By Colour" features a dozen oversized postcards of Robin Storey's paintings (imagine Diebenkorn infused with a fictional tribal symbolism), but it's the sound which makes this album perhaps his best work since working with Zoviet France. Not nearly as tinted with pseudo-ethnic percussive elements as his other records, fragments of electronica (a particularly nice deconstruction of LTJ Bukem's archetypal "Amen" junglist break into something nothing not at all drum'n'bass-esque) and medieval chants join Storey's masterful useage of ever shifting dark passages of looping drones.

RAPOON What Do You Suppose? (Staalplaat) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
"What Do You Suppose?" is a conceptual departure from the curatorial duties of Rapoon's Robin Storey (ex-Zoviet France) whose previous releases have been anthropological collections of looping drones culled from fictional non-Western cultures. Sampling heavily from a symposium on the nature of alien lifeforms, Rapoon's previous ambiguity has been anchored heavily in conspiracy theory, but retains his musical expertise in delay happy percussive drones.

RAPTURE Futile (Spikefarm) cd 14.98
Yet another depressing and doomy export from our beloved Finland. Man, these people must be so miserable. How else could a single nation produce so much depressing music? This time around it's the Rapture, who musically, bear an uncanny resemblance to AQ favorites Katatonia. And for those of you unfamiliar with that sound, it's a bit like a metal Cure; dark and droning, melodic and hypnotic, but heavy! The Rapture take their obvious Katatonia influence, and rough it up, adding screaming, shrieking, growling black metal vocals, instead of the more melodic Katatonia croon. Really fucking great.

RAPTURE Songs For The Withering (Spikefarm) cd 14.98
Gloomy, gothy melodic metal from Finland's Rapture (not to be confused with NYC's The Rapture!), who are kind of a Katatonia clone band. Nothing wrong with that, though, you can't have too much doomy yet catchy Nordic misery wethinks. This is quite good. Compared to recent Katatonia, Rapture perhaps remain MORE "metal" (though both bands are quite heavy): Rapture's vocalist still does the RAWRRRAAHH death-metal growling thing along with some more melodic, clean singing, and you can hear some Metallica and In Flames in there along with that hypnotic Katatonia downer-groove and Cure vibe. (If, after reading this, you're wondering who the heck Katatonia are, please find their reviews on our website and check 'em out...once you've become a fan, come back for the Rapture cds!)
RealAudio clip: "Nameless"
RealAudio clip: "The Vast"

RAPTURE, THE Echoes (DFA / Mercury) cd 11.98
You probably don't need us telling you about The Rapture. But if you've been in hiding for the past few months, The Rapture's "Echoes" has been one of the most widely anticipated albums of the season. There has been an inordinant amount of hype surrounding this band and the DFA production team; and often that type of silliness doesn't really play that well here at Aquarius. So for us, the anticipation was out of a simple question which many other people have been asking as well: Is anything else on Echoes as good as that "House of Jealous Lovers" track? Honestly, no; but The Rapture trying to out-groove "House of Jealous Lovers" is like My Bloody Valentine trying to out-shoegaze "Soon." It's just not going to happen. And if that question is what you needed answered, we're happy to oblige.
However if you look beyond that obvious question, and beyond the ridiculous hype of 'New York's best new band' and actually listen to the record, you might be surprised at how good it is. That said, The Rapture will never escape its influences, in particular Entertainment by Gang of Four, Metal Box by Public Image Limited, early A Certain Ratio, and The Cure. Why anybody would want to ape Robert Smith's nasal whine is beyond me, but The Rapture's singer Luke Jenner has done just that. There's even a direct citation of The Cure's "One Hundred Years" found on The Rapture's "Olio," where Jenner yelps the phrase "Over and over and over again," just as Smith does. It's a little painful, but the DFA production of this remade Rapture track which appeared on their Gravity debut many moons back is a powderkeg post-punk groove laced with plenty of uptempo rhythms. It's certainly strong enough to transcend the vocals and comes close to the cocaine frenzy of "House of Jealous Lovers." As a whole Echoes succeeds through its dynamics, at times suffocating the band's sound in the pressure cooker of jagged guitar scratches, Jenner's voice, and heart-racing rhythms (i.e. "Killing"), at others releasing Jenner's voice as a ghastly diva amidst tubular bells and beatific Chicago house grooves (i.e. "I Need Your Love"), and at others donning the vastly different art rock poses of The Birthday Party and Radiohead (i.e. "Heaven" and "Open Up Your Heart" respectively).
The Rapture is a true amalgam of all things cool at the moment, and the cynic in me wants to call this bullshit for that exact reason; but it's just too good to receive that damnation from me!
MPEG Stream: "Olio"
MPEG Stream: "Killing"
MPEG Stream: "I Need Your Love"

RAPTURE, THE Echoes (DFA) lp 14.98
You probably don't need us telling you about The Rapture. But if you've been in hiding for the past few months, The Rapture's "Echoes" has been one of the most widely anticipated albums of the season. There has been an inordinant amount of hype surrounding this band and the DFA production team; and often that type of silliness doesn't really play that well here at Aquarius. So for us, the anticipation was out of a simple question which many other people have been asking as well: Is anything else on Echoes as good as that "House of Jealous Lovers" track? Honestly, no; but The Rapture trying to out-groove "House of Jealous Lovers" is like My Bloody Valentine trying to out-shoegaze "Soon." It's just not going to happen. And if that question is what you needed answered, we're happy to oblige.
However if you look beyond that obvious question, and beyond the ridiculous hype of 'New York's best new band' and actually listen to the record, you might be surprised at how good it is. That said, The Rapture will never escape its influences, in particular Entertainment by Gang of Four, Metal Box by Public Image Limited, early A Certain Ratio, and The Cure. Why anybody would want to ape Robert Smith's nasal whine is beyond me, but The Rapture's singer Luke Jenner has done just that. There's even a direct citation of The Cure's "One Hundred Years" found on The Rapture's "Olio," where Jenner yelps the phrase "Over and over and over again," just as Smith does. It's a little painful, but the DFA production of this remade Rapture track which appeared on their Gravity debut many moons back is a powderkeg post-punk groove laced with plenty of uptempo rhythms. It's certainly strong enough to transcend the vocals and comes close to the cocaine frenzy of "House of Jealous Lovers." As a whole Echoes succeeds through its dynamics, at times suffocating the band's sound in the pressure cooker of jagged guitar scratches, Jenner's voice, and heart-racing rhythms (i.e. "Killing"), at others releasing Jenner's voice as a ghastly diva amidst tubular bells and beatific Chicago house grooves (i.e. "I Need Your Love"), and at others donning the vastly different art rock poses of The Birthday Party and Radiohead (i.e. "Heaven" and "Open Up Your Heart" respectively).
The Rapture is a true amalgam of all things cool at the moment, and the cynic in me wants to call this bullshit for that exact reason; but it's just too good to receive that damnation from me!

RAPTURE, THE House of Jealous Lovers (DFA) 12" 7.98
This single has been making DJs of all stripes cream their pants since it was released earlier this year. "House of Jealous Lovers" (as well as its Morgan Geist remix version, also on this DFA 12") has been showing up at house nights, electro clubs, and post-punk DJ sets by hipster British video artists. It's the kind of song that is equally irrisitable to art punkers, San Francisco disco divas, discriminating indie kids and Brooklyn fashion victims. No, that's absolutely not a criticism-- it's an illustration of how, like their best funk-punk predecessors, the Rapture bridge the gap between rock and dance music undergrounds. Basically, this single kicks all kinds of asses all over the dance floor, whether it be located in a sweaty club or in your bedroom.

RAPTURE, THE Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks (Sub Pop) cd ep 9.98
Six song ep from these NYC scene up-n-comers. Disco punk!

RAPTURE, THE Pieces Of The People We Love (Universal Motown) cd 11.98
It's okay to booty shake again, indie rockers -- The Rapture have jumped back onto the dance floor. And it's about time -- their spectacular Echoes came out a full three years ago when trucker hats were still cool. The Rapture took their time with Pieces of the People We Love for good reason -- it's a suprisingly well-thought out sound shift.
It's still very them -- that is to say, '80s -- but much less Gang of Four (which is sooo 2003) and much more Hacienda. The whole album brings to mind sweaty dancing in a tropical climate, asses bumping each other in tight white pants, heavy rouge and panama hats -- all kept in check with some post-punk guitar assaults.
The Rapture have a unique talent for making our least favorite instruments sound good -- on their past albums, it was the infamous cowbell and on this one, it's the saxophone, which infuses the single "Get Myself Into It" with the kind of groove that inspires group handclaps and choreographed ensemble dance steps. Songs like "The Devil," showcase Luke Jenner's sexy falsetto, which takes some new chances with Brian Ferry trills, "Hungry Like the Wolf" pants and Haircut 100 "ai yi yi"s.
Unlike some of their NY contemporaries, the Rapture have always seemed like they're just having fun. Their live shows are infectious -- sincere and enthusiastic -- and that definitely comes across on this album. Very recommended for your next dance party.
MPEG Stream: "Get Myself Into It"
MPEG Stream: "The Devil"

RAPTURE, THE / THE JUAN MACLEAN Killing / Give Me Every Little Thing (DFA) 12" 6.98
The Rapture has been one of the most hyped bands to emerge in the past couple of years, embodying everything that Vice magazine wants in a band: cocaine, disco grooves, more cocaine, punk snarl, and a little more cocaine for good measure. Yet with all of this hype, there's only been the "House Of Jealous Lovers" single (admittedly a triumphant blast of A Certain Ratio post-punk fused with the distilled perfection of 20 years of disco) and this split with the Juan Maclean. The Rapture's "Killing" is nowhere nearly as epic as "House Of Jealous Lovers," but is a nervously ethereal punked-out groove driven by a pretty catchy one-note bass line and the Luke Jenner's claustrophobic whine which uncannily mimics Robert Smith of The Cure.
As is the case for "Killing," The Juan Maclean's track benefits greatly from the production skills of The DFA in crafting an angular funk track that updates the Liquid Liquid / ESG model of stripped down grooves with a much punchier sound.

RAS KASS institutionalized (re-up) cd 13.98

RASCO Time Waits for No Man (Stone's Throw) cd 14.98
Local underground rapper's long-awaited full length with guest appearances by Dilated Peoples, DJ Babu of the Beat Junkies turntablists, etc. Produced and released by the Peanut Butter Wolf.

RASCO Time Waits for No Man (Stone's Throw) lp 14.98
Local underground rapper's long-awaited full length with guest appearances by Dilated Peoples, DJ Babu of the Beat Junkies turntablists, etc. Produced and released by the Peanut Butter Wolf.

RASEN KAIDAN Fushigi Na Tokoro (Alchemy) cd 21.00
Back in stock!! Always something interesting being dug up by those Alchemy archeologists! This archival release from a Kyoto-based band called Rasen Kaidan ("Spiral Staircase" I believe) is a very moody and lo-fi, contemporaneous Japanese take on the UK post-punk sound of the early early '80s, a la Joy Division, Comsat Angels, and The Fall, maybe. Also of note, this trio included guitarist Jojo Hiroshige, who was soon to form seminal Japanese noise act Hijokaidan (and also went on to found the Alchemy label).
What you'll hear from Rasen Kaidan here are recordings from two live performances, dating from 1979 and 1980. The 1979 tracks are more witchy and gloomy, with plodding bass and female vocals. The first cut from '79 actually makes us think of a sedated Bardo Pond slogging through a droned-out "Iron Man"! We're reminded of some old NZ stuff like Dadamah as well. The 1980 material makes a switch to male vocals, getting more into that post-punk thing, but still with a weird, almost mystical atmosphere. Murky, raw, psychedelic new wave art punk, yeah!!
MPEG Stream: "track 1"
MPEG Stream: "track 9"

RASHOMON The Ruined Map (Film Music Volume 1) (Mirrors) cd 14.98
Another disc we've been meaning to list for ages. The first release from Rashomon, the new project of Matt Thompson, former and founding member of UK prog combo Guapo. Rashomon incorporates much of what drove the music of Guapo, avant prog, psychedelic rock, soundtrack music, even metal into their sound.
But Thompson is approaching this new music from more of a filmic angle, the sounds much more cinematic, which should have been obvious from the name of the project, the record's title, and even the songs, each bearing the name of a classic film. Might be a bit pretentious in other hands, but this is the guy who founded Guapo, his prog cred is solid as a rock, as is his instrumental prowess, and it's obvious listening to these songs.
How the music here relates to the various films, is a bit tough for us to comment on since, we're embarrassed to say, we've seen only 2 of the 8 films referenced, but we're certainly excited to check the rest of them out now.
The opening track is a dark brooding convoluted space prog workout, channeling Goblin, as well as John Carpenter, into an intense creepscape, all minor key and darkly ominous, with long stretches of haunted house synth and wheezing harmoniums, the drums complex, skittering amidst a winding droneprog jam, heavy on the low-end and the tension building shimmer.
The second track is all smokey and jazzy, a minimal shuffle beneath some atonal scrabbly Derek Bailey like guitars, the track soon morphing into creepy sepia tone music box melodies.
Over the course of the rest of the record, as the tracks slip from film to film director to director, Bresson to Suzuki, Starewicz to Shindo, Branded To Kill, Lancelot Du Lac, Onibaba, The Mascot, the songs follow suit, shifting from mood to mood, sound to sound, soaring strings, ballroom jazz, bursts of acid fried synth blow outs, tribal almost African sounding drumming, gypsy folk violins, super intense spastic freaked out avant metal damage, deep shimmering drones, long stretches of creaking industrial ambience, haunting bagpipe like melodies, moody abstract drifts, gently strummed guitars clouds of cymbal shimmer, a constantly shifting world of sound, deep and layered, expansive and indeed, so cinematic.
Fans of Guapo will want this for sure, but anyone into far out soundtracks, experimental soundscapes or avant prog should definitely check this out as well.
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES!!
MPEG Stream: "Onibaba"
MPEG Stream: "Blast Of Silence"
MPEG Stream: "A Quiet Week In The House"

RASPBERRIES Greatest (Capitol) cd 17.98
Ooooh, in a perfect world if you were to look in the dictionary for "70s classic pop", you'd find a big photo of this band alongside their fellow '70s AM radio masters Bread and Electric Light Orchestra. Their heart-string pulling treasures such as "Go All The Way" and "Let's Pretend" recall the blissful pop orchestrations of the Beatles, Beach Boys and the Zombies. Actually we (Andee, Byram and Cup) noted that Eric Carmen's voice sorta resembles two Pauls' (very McCartney and less so Stanley), and come to think of it, their respective bands' personalities (i.e, Wings and Kiss) are definitely reflected in Raspberries music -- the glorious power pop sweetness and the ballsy power rock crunch. Raspberries' bright, often bubblegum-y hooks, swirling string arrangements and earnest multi-part vocal harmonies will totally appeal to your sappy soft side, leaving you weeping in a sunbeam. The liner notes include song-by-song commentary by the band members.
MPEG Stream: "Go All The Way"
MPEG Stream: "Let's Pretend"

RASTAN (Taito) video arcade game 0.25
Allan's always wanted his own Rastan machine, and finally, thanks to the magic of eBay, he got one, and for relatively cheap too, considering that he probably spent as much in quarters playing it in the arcade back in the day! As you've probably noticed, it's here in the store and up and running, along with Andee's prize Tron machine (reviewed last list). We thought we'd write a little bit about each machine in the usual AQ New Arrivals list style, just for kicks. No, you can't add this to your cart, but you can stop in and drop a quarter or two into it in person...
So, for those of you without the experience of wasting your adolescence and lunch money loitering in video arcades, and don't know the (vintage 1987) Rastan game, here's the rundown: the title character, Rastan, is your basic Conan the Barbarian style swords & sorcery adventurer running around, jumping and stabbing things and collecting treasure. If you're good enough, you'll advance from level to level (there's six levels of three screens each), beating each boss, exploring new and ever-more dangerous fantasy realms, and perhaps eventually finishing the game. Haven't made it to the end yet ourselves -- it would take a several hours of play and many many credits, even if we were skilled enough at the game.
What's so awesome about Rastan? Well the graphics are pretty cool, especially the backgrounds which are totally D&Dish and mystically evocative. There's wilderness scenes (from jungles to rocky barrens) and also castle and cavern interiors, complete with flaming pit traps and rolling bolders and Tarzan style rope swings. It's a two dimensional, moving left-to-right game, using what's called "parallax scrolling" to give an illusion of depth to the backgrounds. The monsters are pretty cool too -- four armed boomerang flingers and fire spitting hydra and (at higher levels) scary Medusa ladies whose green snakey hair extends to entrap you... But the most dangerous monsters have got to be the bats. Individually they don't seem that scary, but they're tough to hit, there are a lot of them and they'll come for you if you're taking too long getting from point A to point B. We've lost more lives to those pesky bats than anything else in the game... Another cool thing about the graphics is that they've left out a lot of the usual video game clutter -- there's no point values popping up on the screen when you slay something, it's more "realistic" than that... well sort of. The "life meter" is pretty cool too, your heart shown pumping at one end, louder and more desperately as you sustain hit after hit...
But the BEST thing about this game, by far, has got to be the theme music. It's brilliant. If we could get a cd soundtrack we'd be sooooooo stoked. Awesomely ominous '80s arcade electronica. We don't even know the name of the composer, but it's a bit like like John Carpenter making medieval metal music... sinister and suspenseful, especially when the music cresendos to warn of an impending bat swarm attack!
If you play the game be sure to ask Allan for some pointers: like, you gotta learn how to jump down with your sword or (other weapon) also pointing down to deal with certain obstacles/enemies... sword swipes combined with a jump seem much more powerful... you can go up ropes faster if you jump while you climb (as long as there's a wall next to the rope for you to "bounce" up)... and watch out for the vials of poison some monsters leave behind... but if you see the gold sheep's head, you want that, it'll restore your life meter to full... So come on by and try being a "brave adventurer who dared to challenge"!
MPEG Stream: "Rastan theme music"

RATATAT Classics (XL Recordings) cd 14.98
Album number two from this New York duo picks up right where their refreshing debut left off. Bringing all sorts of seemingly unrelated sounds and ideas perfectly together. The danceability of electronica, the organic emotion of guitars and the limitless possibilities of what can happen when you re-imagine different ways to create melody. With Classics they continue to create a world that makes you feel like you are some powerful character in a video game that you just want to play forever. There is something so endearing and instantly likable about this group. The way they make fun sounding music without being cheesy or gimmicky. The way they force you to use your imagination, it's almost impossible to hear these songs and not create elaborate shapes, colors and stories in your mind. Classics is the kind of record that can break through to even the most jaded hipster as well as hitting the spot for those who are always ready to have a good time. So fresh and fun!
MPEG Stream: "Wildcat"
MPEG Stream: "Montanita"

RATATAT Classics (XL Recordings) lp 13.98
Album number two from this New York duo picks up right where their refreshing debut left off. Bringing all sorts of seemingly unrelated sounds and ideas perfectly together. The danceability of electronica, the organic emotion of guitars and the limitless possibilities of what can happen when you re-imagine different ways to create melody. With Classics they continue to create a world that makes you feel like you are some powerful character in a video game that you just want to play forever. There is something so endearing and instantly likable about this group. The way they make fun sounding music without being cheesy or gimmicky. The way they force you to use your imagination, it's almost impossible to hear these songs and not create elaborate shapes, colors and stories in your mind. Classics is the kind of record that can break through to even the most jaded hipster as well as hitting the spot for those who are always ready to have a good time. So fresh and fun!
MPEG Stream: "Wildcat"
MPEG Stream: "Montanita"

RATATAT Lex / Truman (Matador) 12" 3.98

RATATAT LP3 (XL) cd 13.98
New York's guitar/synth duo Ratatat hits us hard with another hefty dose of instrumental electronica, the follow up to 2006's summer jam Classics. Very similar to that album indeed. Not veering far from their usual sound, catchy synth and guitar melodies woven within a bright world of danceable sounds and beats, LP3 is a sure pleaser for any fans of radiant electronica. As familiar as LP3 sounds, there are glimpes of a more refined Ratatat here. Accoustic, steel-stringed intruments and eastern rythyms bring some spice to the album. Charming and vivid, you can't help but wonder if this is the music an arcade would make if it came to life after closing. These guys really conjure a nice balance between pop sensibility and musicianship. In a genre so heavily reliant on machines and buttons, they create a sound so organic and sincere.
MPEG Stream: "Mirando"
MPEG Stream: "Imperials"
MPEG Stream: "Mumtaz Khan"

RATATAT LP3 (XL) lp 14.98
New York's guitar/synth duo Ratatat hits us hard with another hefty dose of instrumental electronica, the follow up to 2006's summer jam Classics. Very similar to that album indeed. Not veering far from their usual sound, catchy synth and guitar melodies woven within a bright world of danceable sounds and beats, LP3 is a sure pleaser for any fans of radiant electronica. As familiar as LP3 sounds, there are glimpes of a more refined Ratatat here. Accoustic, steel-stringed intruments and eastern rythyms bring some spice to the album. Charming and vivid, you can't help but wonder if this is the music an arcade would make if it came to life after closing. These guys really conjure a nice balance between pop sensibility and musicianship. In a genre so heavily reliant on machines and buttons, they create a sound so organic and sincere.

RATATAT s/t (Matador) cd 13.98
The cover makes this look like it's gonna be some kinda indie-boys making rawk, sorta Strokes-y or maybe Champsy or something like that. But actually it's fairly mellow electronic music. Yawn.

RATTO JA LEHTISALO En Benttonin Briljantti Stabilismi (Ektro) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Total '80s gloss thing going on (Andee thought it sounded like The Fixx!) here from these two members of Circle, sorta Talking Heads / Sparks / Oingo Bongo -ish... maybe even Barnes and Barnes? As as Christine put it: "fucked up aerobics music" with "Finnish goth" vocals! Or imagine Circle in tuxes and feathers, with Mika Ratto singing in a Popeye voice. Weird!
MPEG Stream: "Isannan Romanttinen Illallinen Olympiakullan Kainalossa"
MPEG Stream: "Kuningatar Tornittaa Kuninkaan Ratsun Vaimoa"

RATTO JA LEHTISALO Kopernikus Hortoilee Nakinkengassa (Ektro) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
As you might have guessed from the review of Ektroverde's "Ukkossalama" above/elsewhere, and will shortly learn from this review, we have to say: the two new Ektro label releases aren't -exactly- our absolute favorites from our fine Finnish friend Jussi and his accomplices. Then again, that didn't stop Andee and Allan from buying copies! But Circle fans should know what they're getting into here: with the Ratto Ja Lehtisalo album it's a stab at vocal and instrumental synth pop (with lyrics like "heyheyshalalalalala") that features lots of Circle-lite spacerock synth-work. Cheesy '80s synths that is. Maybe they can't find cooler ones at the Finnish flea markets? Or maybe this is some sort of obscure and/or drunken joke. Not that it's *bad* or anything, we just don't understand, and would like it better if it wasn't so...smooth. It's very poppy and mild, with gentle psychedelic guitar leads spun out by Aki Peltonen (otherwise, as you might guess from the name, this is the duo of Circle bassist Jussi Lehtisalo and Circle keyboardist/vocalist Mika Ratto, here also playing drums). But fans of Circle's Neu!-inspired rhythms looking for a pleasant, sunshiney listen may well enjoy. It's nothing if not nice. So, check out the sound samples, see what you think...
MPEG Stream: "Valonnopeus"
MPEG Stream: "Avaruusshampanja"

RATTO JA LEHTISALO Pari Lepakkoa Transylvaniassa (Ektro) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Remember Kopernikus Hortoilee Nakinkengassa? (Ahhh, like it was only yesterday...) The first Ratto Ja Lehtisalo cd? Well here's Ratto Ja Lethisalo cd numba two, Pari Lepakkoa Transylvaniassa! The duo of Mika Ratto and Jussi Lehtisalo, both integral members of AQ faves Circle, along with guitarist Aki Peltonen, return with another rather pretty pop album that's also rather weird -- of course, what else would you expect from these Finnish freaks? Like its predecessor, this one is kinda light-n-mild, and mysteriously goofy. It reminds us a bit of some modern Czech folk stuff, actually, a la Vladimir Vaclavek (as if that's any help to you!). Guitars and harmonica and drums and whistling and whispering and even a typewriter are worked into these songs' arrangements, and there's at least one track that's got that trademark Circle sorta groove, with Neu!-ish rhythms and krautrocky synth. But it's "the lighter side of" Circle for sure. And the vocals are a major thing here. There's lots of voice-as-instrument playfulness, with lyrics, sometimes in English, often along the lines of "dum de dum" or even "c'mon bay-bee", the repetition of such phrases calling their actual meaning (or meaninglessness) into question.
Is it a nonsense album? Actually we suspect that there's may be a story being told, as certain musical themes seem to carry through the whole disc, giving it the sense of a song-cycle. Or perhaps it's the album's foresty fairytale cartoon artwork that's making us imagine that Uncle Jussi and Uncle Mika are telling us some children's fable. It's a little corny, definitely cute or even cutesy (as per that artwork), and again we're left wondering just what it's all about... Yeah, it's weird, almost in a "why are they doing this?" sorta way, but a lot of it is also quite beautiful.
MPEG Stream: "Kaappikellon Kummitus"
MPEG Stream: "Peltojen Poikki Paakaupunkiin"
MPEG Stream: "Huuliharppukarakka"

RAUHAN ORKESTERI / LAUHKEAT LAMPAAT Sylissain Oot (Ache) cd 14.98
Underground Finnish freak jazz craziness.

RAUHOUSE, JON Steel Guitar Heart Attack (Bloodshot) cd 13.98
Few can match Mr. Jon Rauhouse's musicianship, range and artistry. On this his third solo album, he's truly outdone himself! A pure genius at capturing moods that evoke a time long passed, he moves effortlessly from romantic old time balladry to Hawaiian tiki-lit happy hour, twilight swing jazz to chilling spookiness, lonesome range mournings to kicky covers of the Mannix and The Andy Griffiths Show theme songs. There's a little something for everyone here! He's joined by his dear friends Tommy Connell (guitars), Calexico's John Convertino (drums), Joey Burns (bass) and Jacob Valenzuela (trumpet), Paul Rigby (guitar and mandolin player extraordinaire aka Rauhouse's six-string cohort in Neko Case's touring band) and many others who know what's good for 'em. While Rauhouse's main focus is on the magic of the instrumental, he ices the cake with some sweet lady vocals by his pals Neko Case, Sally Timms, Kelly Hogan and Rachel Flotard. Excellent!
MPEG Stream: "Grief"
MPEG Stream: "Mannix"
MPEG Stream: "East Of The Sun (Feat. Neko Case)"